If you think your Costco is a magical place, wait until you see what other members in other parts of the country get to experience.
A Reddit thread about regional differences in Costco stores has us — and tons of other shoppers — feeling some serious FOMO, and maybe even a little jealousy. Why don’t we get 10 varieties of frozen dumplings to choose from? Why do some stores get sun-bathed food courts while the rest of us are stuck eating pizza slices indoors like peasants? Let’s take a look at the Costco features making shoppers seriously envious.
Regional Stock Differences
Beyond staples like the $1.50 hot dog combo and the $5 rotisserie chicken, the products a Costco stocks vary by region. Sometimes there are differences between stores within the same metro area.
“The Maui location was super fun to see,” said one commenter. “Tons of ocean gear.”
“The Hawai’i ones play up to the hordes of tourists that load up before going to their condos and hotels,” explained someone else, and that totally makes sense.
“Whole pigs for Luaus, soft top surfboards, super sugar Hawaiian juices. Love stopping there anytime I visit Hawaii!” Who wants to sponsor our trip to Hawaii just to go to Costco? Anyone?
It’s definitely not just Costcos in touristy areas that do this, too. “Typically, 80% of SKUs are the same nationally,” explained one Redditor who sounds like a Costco employee, referring to the inventory code all products have. “Regional buyers handle the remaining 20%.”
That means that if you live in an area with a large Asian-American community, you’ll probably see a lot more dumplings in the freezer, or jarred chutney and garam masala in an area with a large Indian population, for example. That all sounds amazing to us.
Hot Dog in the Sun
Another big difference people mention in the thread over and over again is the food court. “Pretty jealous of the outdoor food courts,” said one Redditor. “It’s almost always pure chaos between ordering, waiting for the food, and sitting down to eat at all of the indoor food courts I’ve been to.”
“I’m so used to an outdoor food court (Southern California) that it’s always a little jarring when I travel north and go to the indoor ones,” another member explained. For us in the Midwest, seeing an outdoor Costco cafe would blow our minds.
‘The Alcohol Difference Is Crazy’
Seeing the liquor section in some Costcos is jarring for some members, especially when they’re from an area where alcohol sales aren’t allowed in grocery stores at all. “Its so wild to see liquor just sitting out with everything else!,” said one member. “I’ve only seen that in Puerto Rico.”
“Imagine the joy of a Utahn that can only buy liquor at state owned liquor stores,” another Redditor said. “One state away in Nevada or Colorado a 1.75L of the American Vodka cost only $14.”
Size Matters
It’s not just what’s inside the store that’s different at Costcos around the country, either. The actual buildings vary among regions. “Many of the East Coast warehouses are much smaller in size too,” explained one Redditor. “They have old price club buildings. All new warehouses are built with more square footage.”
“I think what you’re seeing is that the ‘East Coast’ warehouses you’ve been to are older and smaller,” agreed another Redditor. “The one in my Northeast city is quite small compared to others I have seen, but one I went to in Florida is humongous and carries products I’ve never seen in my local store. There tends to be more land available in west coast locations.”
And when it comes to which region has the best Costcos? Most people seem to agree that Seattle is the prime location, given that it’s where the company’s headquarters are. “Seattle is unique because it often serves as testing grounds for Costco buyers due to proximity to HQ,” said one member, and it’s giving us serious FOMO.
“Seattle area Costcos are kind of the flagship experience since that’s Costco’s home turf.”
Well, that settles it. We officially want to become Costco tourists. Good thing Costco sells vacations.
More From Cheapism
- Costco Employees Reveal the Most Annoying Things Shoppers Do at the Store — If you ever want to witness rude Costco behavior in real time, head to the megastore on a Saturday afternoon.
- These 10 New Costco Items for February Have Shoppers Talking — Whether it’s a seasonal bakery treat, a limited-time snack, or a new prepared food quietly sliding into the deli case, these 10 new finds might be worth a trip to your local warehouse.
- Costco’s $4.99 Rotisserie Chicken Is Facing a Lawsuit. Shoppers Are Still ‘Team Chicken’ — The lawsuit alleges Costco falsely markets its Kirkland Signature rotisserie chicken as having “no preservatives,” even though the ingredient list suggests otherwise.
